The Oklahoma City manufacturer of valves and controls for the oil and gas industry said it increased entry-level hourly wages to $12.50, up from $10.50.

Kimray Inc. wants to build a new 90,000 square-foot office building at E. Britton Road and N. Eastern Ave. as part of plans for a new headquarters in Northeast Oklahoma City.

Entry-level employees at Oklahoma City’s Kimray Inc. received a boost in pay this week as the oil and gas equipment manufacturer raised its hourly minimum wage to $12.50, up from $10.50.

The increase applies to both regular and temporary employees. Kimray representatives said about 225 of the company’s 800 employees will be covered by its new minimum wage. Other employees can expect wage adjustments or increases, but Kimray was still making those determinations.

“At Kimray, we believe in taking care of our employees and their families, and increasing our starting pay is one way we can put this value into practice,” said Tom Hill, chairman and CEO of the Kimray board of directors. “We develop programs and provide benefits that not only help our employees at work, but also in their homes and the community.”

Minimum wage low

At $7.25, Oklahoma’s minimum wage is the same as the federal minimum wage. Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia have higher minimum wages than the federal minimum wage. President Barack Obama has proposed a new federal minimum wage of $10.10.

New campus planned

Kimray, which was founded in 1948, makes pumps, valves, controls and other oil-field equipment. The company recently announced plans for a new 390,000 square-foot campus at the northwest corner of Eastern Avenue and Britton Road.